Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura said Wednesday his small opposition party has given up on merging with Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party), the fledgling force led by former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto.
But Kawamura, head of Genzei Nippon (Tax Cut Japan), told reporters he will continue talks with members of Nippon Ishin no Kai on possibly cooperating in the campaign for the Dec. 16 Lower House election.
"There are many ways" to help parties in the so-called third force to counter the ruling Democratic Party of Japan and the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party in the election, Kawamura said.
He conveyed his decision to give up on the merger in a meeting with Ishihara in Tokyo on Tuesday. Kawamura said there are too many differences over policy for his party to join the Hashimoto-Ishihara alliance.
Nippon Ishin no Kai, founded by Hashimoto, on Saturday absorbed Taiyo no To (The Sunrise Party), a small party Ishihara had launched just a few days earlier in a merger with Tachiagare Nippon (Sunrise Party of Japan).
